Computers and office automation industries

Jim Ludtke: Multimedia surrealist

Article Abstract:

Jim Ludtke, designer and animator, uses technology to create surreal multimedia artwork. Ludtke created the characters in The Residents' Freak Show CD-ROM, and has done animation for Nintendo, Nickelodeon and MTV. However, it was the Freak Show CD-ROM, made in collaboration with the performance artist group The Residents, that accelerated Ludtke's multimedia career. Ludtke has a refreshing style, where users are invited in to see a performance without being distracted by buttons on the screen. Ludtke has always been fascinated with 3-D environments. His unique creations have hundreds of texture-mapped surfaces, and some scenes may include over 500 PICT files. Originally, Ludtke considered building sets in layers, but discovered that by creating them as a single piece, he could change camera angles quickly without recompositing each scene.

Streaming for business

Article Abstract:

Web-based streaming technology is a cost-effective way of communicating important information to employees and clients. It allows an element of personal contact since full-motion video and audio are almost like talking person-to-person. The downside to streaming media is that it is a labor-intensive technology. There are specialists in the field, such as InterVu, which was hired by Microsoft for the launching of Windows 98. Other InterVu clients include the ad agency Saatchi & Saatchi, which realized that outsourcing the streaming media services saved the agency time and money. The complexity of setting up streaming content is due to the large number of environments to be catered to. VStream, another streaming media specialist, provides assistance to companies in configuring their servers and architecture.